D-DAY KM8 DEMONSTRATION – FRIDAY 20th MAY

On Friday 20th May, the North Yorkshire County Council Planning Committee will be discussing Third Energy’s application to frack at their KM8 well-site. The meeting will take place at County Hall, Northallerton, DL7 8AD. For a fantastic video to encourage you to come along, please see Dave’s latest creation on YouTube!

Frack Free Ryedale, Frack Free North Yorkshire, Friends of the Earth and numerous other anti-fracking groups across the county and beyond will be coming together to demonstrate on the day and to urge the Planning Committee to reject the application. We need everyone who is concerned about the threat fracking poses to our rural industries, health, tourism, water supply, air quality and peaceful country life to turn up and make their voices heard.

Please note that although the Chief Planning Officer has recommended approval – despite objections from Ryedale District Council, the Wildlife Trust, Flamingo Land, Parish Councils, Town Councils and thousands of local residents, landowners and businesses – the Planning Committee still need to discuss and vote on the plans. When the same thing happened in Lancashire last year, the Planning Committee rejected the application against the recommendation of the Planning Officer.

We need a huge show of opposition to fracking on Friday to make the same thing happen in Yorkshire. PLEASE BE THERE TO MAKE YOUR VOICES HEARD!

What’s happening on the day

The demonstration starts at 9.00 a.m. and there will be talks, live music, and a live feed from the Planning Committee inside County Hall so that you can follow the proceedings. There will also be Yorkshire Nanas serving tea, coffee – and of course cakes! (You can’t have a demo in Yorkshire without cakes…)

At 12.30, when the committee break for lunch, there will be more speakers, including fashion icon Vivienne Westwood, who has been vigorously campaigning against fracking across the country. If you can only come for an hour or two, please come between 12.00 and 2.00 as this is when the press will be in attendance.

The live feed from the Committee Room begins again after lunch, and then the decision making is due to start at about 4.00 pm. The decision will either be delivered at around 6.00 pm, or possibly delayed till Monday. If you are at work and can’t make it during the day, it would be great if you could join us for the decision. Please keep in touch via dedicated Facebook Event page or the FFR Twitter feed on the day to see how things are proceeding.

UPDATE– Due to the large numbers of local people registering to speak in opposition to fracking at KM8, the NYCC have said that they are unlikely to reach a decision on Friday. The hearing will therefore continue on Monday 23rd, when a decision will be reached. You can read about the decision in this Gazette & Herald article.

People will be demonstrating outside County Hall on both days, so please come along on Monday 23rd if you possibly can. We will update you with further information as we receive it.

Travel arrangements – are you on the bus?

County Hall is very near Northallerton station, so coming by train is a good option. If you are coming by car, there are some all-day car parks nearby. To check out Northallerton Car Parks, go to Parkopedia and fill in time and date in box top right.

Anti-fracking campaigners have hired a bus going from Scarborough, to Northallerton, calling at Malton, Swinton, Hovingham and Helmsley. If you would like to book a seat, please check out the Facebook Events Page or go to our travel page. Seats are limited so please confirm as soon as you can!

There is also a minibus going from Pickering to Northallerton, via Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley. Again, if you are interested in a seat on this bus, please go to our travel page.